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Stussy approached with a swaying, rhythmic grace, every movement dripping with calculated sensuality. She appeared youthful, yet she possessed the ripe, intoxicating allure of a mature woman.
She was undeniably beautiful. In the shadows of the underworld, she was hailed as the "Number One Beauty of the New World." With thick, fluttering lashes, seductive eyes, and full, inviting lips, she possessed a blooming charm that few men could resist.
"Lord Thunder Emperor, please, come this way."
Stussy curtsied slightly. Her voice was a melodious trill, soft and yielding; it was the kind of voice no man would have the heart to refuse.
However, very few could see past the facade to the profound indifference toward all things hidden deep within her eyes.
Under the watchful gaze of the countless pirates from the Grand Fleet and the women of the Pleasure District, Arthur was ceremoniously escorted by Stussy into the most luxurious structure at the end of the street.
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The main hall was brightly lit and cavernous. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow. The pillars supporting the structure were cast from solid gold and engraved with intricate, dazzling patterns.
Rows of long tables, carved from precious crystal, were inlaid with gems of every color—red, orange, yellow, green—sparkling like captured rainbows.
The dinner plates, goblets, and cutlery were all ground from expensive diamonds.
Beneath his feet lay plush carpets, and the sofas were upholstered with the fur of rare beasts found only on ancient islands in the New World.
It was an atmosphere of depraved luxury, designed to make anyone involuntarily lose themselves in pleasure.
Arthur entered the hall and, as if it were his birthright, took the seat of honor at the head of the table, observing everything with cold detachment.
For Arthur, true enjoyment came from the thrill of a hard-fought battle or the rush of adrenaline. Mere material wealth could never shake his will.
"Lord Thunder Emperor... is my hospitality unsatisfactory?"
Stussy poured a glass of wine, her eyes filled with shy adoration. She drifted over, leaning her body directly against Arthur, who sat imperiously on the throne-like chair.
Her body felt boneless, soft as water, as she gently raised the glass to Arthur's lips, like a favored concubine serving her emperor.
"Cut the act. I have zero interest in weak women with no value."
Arthur's expression didn't flicker. In one fluid motion, his hand clamped down on Stussy's slender, snow-white wrist. With his other hand, he took the wine glass, downed it in a single gulp, and then flung her aside.
Stussy stumbled back, tears welling in her eyes. She looked heartbreakingly fragile, her seduction dialed up to the maximum. A bruise was already forming on her pale wrist. It was a scene of a damsel in distress that would make any ordinary man rush to hold and comfort her.
"Tch. Still pretending? Stussy of CP0, the World Government's premier intelligence agency?"
Arthur looked down at her, enunciating every word clearly. He sneered at the woman sobbing softly in his arms—or rather, the woman he had just rejected—and ruthlessly exposed her identity.
"What is Lord Thunder Emperor talking about? I... I don't understand..." Stussy's body trembled, her large eyes blinking rapidly, radiating an innocence that would make any man feel guilty for accusing her.
She was a true method actor. If Arthur hadn't known beforehand, he never would have imagined that such a woman could be a government spy, nor that the World Government would send an agent of her caliber to open a brothel in the dangerous waters of the New World.
"No one is allowed to question me... If I say you are, then you are!" Arthur smiled coldly, delivering his verdict without mercy.
To thrive in the New World like a fish in water, to establish the Pleasure District across countless pirate gathering spots without ever needing to fight—a woman like this possessed outstanding capability and political maneuvering skills.
"How domineering..."
Stussy's tearful facade vanished instantly, replaced by a smile as beautiful as a blooming flower. The aura of fragility evaporated. She slowly raised her hand, as if to cover a giggle behind her cherry-red lips, but then—
Finger Pistol: Flying! (Tobu Shigan)
Her gaze turned ice-cold in a split second. The deeply hidden agent struck without warning.
From the tip of her delicate finger, a sharp, highly compressed bullet of air shot out. The force was staggering; it was hard to imagine such power coming from such a slender woman.
The attack hit the center of Arthur's forehead with lightning speed. Simultaneously, Stussy leaped backward, retreating to the entrance of the hall in the blink of an eye.
"Do I still count as a weak woman without value? Lord Thunder Emperor!"
As she created distance, Stussy couldn't hide the shock in her heart. She knew the Thunder Emperor's physical arts were formidable, but she never expected his body to be this tough.
Arthur idly rubbed the small red mark left on his forehead by the air bullet. He remained seated, his posture unchanged and indifferent.
"Not completely valueless... Aside from that stupid woman Charlotte Linlin, on the World Government's side, only 'Peach Rabbit' Gion can compare to you."
"Many thanks for the compliment, Lord Thunder Emperor... So, how exactly did you know I was a member of CP0?"
Although her cover was blown, Stussy was still an agent forged in blood and fire. Her courage was exceptional. She remained calm, showing no fear as she asked with a smile.
"Hmph."
Arthur couldn't be bothered to explain. He snorted with disdain. "You knew you couldn't escape, so you didn't run? Smart woman."
"Are you loyal to the World Government?"
"Of course," Stussy answered without hesitation, her eyes turning gentle. "Does Lord Thunder Emperor intend to poach me from the World Government?"
"You have ability. Wouldn't your talents be better utilized in my Thunder God Pirates? What has the World Government given you that makes them worth dying for?" Arthur tapped his finger on the armrest of the golden throne, resting his cheek on his other hand.
"A chance to live, and the opportunity to prove my worth."
Members of the Cipher Pol agencies were either children of officials or orphans with clean backgrounds. Most were orphans, brainwashed from a young age. Having walked through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, their loyalty was unshakable.
Arthur dismissed the idea of recruiting her. He suddenly leaned forward, elbows on his knees, chin resting on his interlaced fingers.
"People live to constantly search for the value of their existence. So, right now, what value do you have that justifies letting you live?"
The more casual his tone, the more dangerous the situation.
Stussy smiled enchantingly. "Whether I live or not depends entirely on whether the Thunder Emperor is willing to let me live."
"However... my value lies in using the World Government's intelligence network to serve you. For example—finding the Op-Op Fruit (Ope Ope no Mi), which the Thunder God Pirates haven't been able to locate despite five years of searching!"
"HA! You expect me to trust World Government intelligence?" Arthur laughed loudly. If the World Government found the Op-Op Fruit, would they tell him? What a joke.
"You will trust it. With the Thunder Emperor's strength, you don't fear traps, whether the intelligence is real or fake... It all depends on how determined you are to get the Op-Op Fruit," Stussy said with absolute confidence.
"That sounded nice." Arthur stopped laughing. He walked down the steps from the throne, slowly approaching Stussy until he was right beside her. He leaned in, whispering into her ear.
"If the World Government gets the Op-Op Fruit, I will pay any price—even if it means violating my own principles and launching a full-scale war—to take back what belongs to me. That is my determination."
His voice was cold and heartless.
He was determined to get that fruit.
"You want to live? I'll give you a chance... When I come out of my lab, you must have the location of the Op-Op Fruit. That is your bargaining chip for survival!"
With that, Arthur strode out of the hall like a dragon, flying straight toward Vegapunk's laboratory on Punk Hazard.
A year ago, Vegapunk had discovered a terrifying method of attack involving the collision of positrons and electrons to annihilate matter...
The experiment was about to succeed!
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